Brazilian Pepper Cleanup

Hi everyone! I posted this over in the invasives forum, but I wanted to let all the cool Floridians know about it too. Please come help out!

(Reposted from email):

You were probably wondering if we were EVER going to organize another volunteer workday. Wonder no more!



The first workday of 2007 will be held Saturday, Feb. 24 from 9 a.m.-noon at Cargill Park in Riverview, at the mouth of the Alafia River.



This park is another of Hillsborough County's largely forgotten treasures. Located on a small parcel of land donated by Cargill Fertilizer, it could provide quality wetland habitat along the river, if the infestation of Brazilian pepper trees can be removed from the shoreline. That's where you come in.



Once again, we need volunteers to haul pepper limbs and branches to chippers so the harmful pepper trees can be turned into harmless mulch. County crews will pre-cut as much pepper as they can before the workday, so there will be plenty for you to do. They can chain saw more pepper the day of the workday if you finish all the pre-cut piles early, there's still pepper to be blitzed, and you have any energy left.



In return, we'll feed you lunch and send you home with one of our "almost world famous" Give A Day t-shirts, featuring a new, exciting design for 2007!



Please let me know if you can help, and how many will be in your work party. Because of the presence of chain saws and chippers, this workday is restricted to kids 14 and over with parental supervision.



IMPORTANT INFO



What: Brazilian Pepper Removal



Where: Cargill Park

6501 Riverview Drive

Riverview, FL 33569



What To Wear:

Long-sleeved shirts

Long-sleeved pants

Closed-Toe Shoes such as old sneaker (Mandatory)

Glasses or Sunglasses to protect your eyes from chipper dust and splinters



What To Bring:

Garden Gloves

Water Bottle

Sunscreen

A Pepper-Busting Attitude!



Thanks to your tremendous help during a series of workdays, Hillsborough County was able to declare Sun City Heritage Park in Ruskin the first "invasive-free" park in the county last year. Let's make Cargill Park the second!





Best regards,



Nanette Holland O'Hara (Yes, I got married recently!)

Public Outreach Coordinator

Tampa Bay Estuary Program

100 8th Ave. S.E.

St. Petersburg, FL 33701

(727) 893-2765 phone

(727) 893-2767 fax

e-mail: Nanette@tbep.org



Celebrating 15 Years of Community Partnership to Restore and Protect Tampa Bay

A reminder, and info below if you want to join us!

Greetings “Give A Day For The Bay” Volunteers:



This is the final reminder of the Brazilian Pepper removal workday on Saturday, Feb. 24 from 9 a.m.-noon. at Mosaic Park in Riverview. Mosaic Park is located on the banks of the Alafia River in southeast Hillsborough County.



ADDRESS:



Mosaic Park

6501 Riverview Drive

Riverview, FL 33569



Driving directions from various starting points are below my signature box. You may also wish to run a map to the park from your specific address by visiting www.mapquest.com



In my initial e-mail about the workday, I called this park “Cargill Park,” but the name has been changed to “Mosaic Park.”



Please let me know if you are still planning to participate in the workday, and how many are in your work party, so I can order enough lunches for everyone.



Don’t forget to bring gloves, sunscreen, a hat and a water bottle. Please wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, closed-toe shoes such as boots or old sneakers, and sunglasses to keep dust from the chippers out of your eyes.



If you get lost on the way, my cell phone is (727) 459-8006.



County crews will pre-cut Brazilian pepper trees prior to the workday, and be on hand to run the chippers on Feb. 24. If we have enough volunteers, we may be able to get all of the pepper pulverized in one day!



Thanks so much for your enthusiasm – hope to see you all on Feb. 24.



Nanette Holland O'Hara

Public Outreach Coordinator

Tampa Bay Estuary Program

100 8th Ave. S.E.

St. Petersburg, FL 33701

(727) 893-2765 phone

(727) 893-2767 fax

e-mail: Nanette@tbep.org

www.tbep.org

www.tampabay.wateratlas.org





DRIVING DIRECTIONS TO MOSAIC PARK



From Tampa via I-4



Take I-275 to I-4 East



From I-4, take Exit 1 (SR 585/22nd Street). Turn right at end of ramp onto 21st Street.



Follow 21st for about 3.5 miles. It becomes the 22nd Street Causeway and you will pass various Port of Tampa facilities.



Turn right onto US 41 South (50th Street).



Travel about 4 miles on US 41 South. Turn left at Riverview Drive, directly across from the Mosaic fertilizer plant and right before the bridge over the Alafia River. There is a stoplight at the intersection of US 41 and Riverview Drive.



Mosaic Park is on your right after the railroad tracks.



From Tampa via I-75



Take I-75 South to Exit 250 (Gibsonton).



Merge onto Gibsonton Drive. Travel 1.8 miles to US 41 North.



Turn right on US 41 North and go 1 mile to Riverview Drive, which is just past the bridge over the Alafia River. Turn right onto Riverview Drive (there is a stoplight there).



Mosaic Park is on your right after the railroad tracks.



From St. Petersburg



Take I-275 North across the Howard Frankland Bridge to Tampa.



Merge onto I-4 eastbound via Exit 45B.



From I-4, take Exit 1 (SR 585/22nd Street). Turn right at end of ramp onto 21st Street.



Follow 21st for about 3.5 miles. It becomes the 22nd Street Causeway and you will pass various Port of Tampa facilities.



Turn right onto US 41 South (50th Street).



Travel about 4 miles on US 41 South. Turn left at Riverview Drive, directly across from the Mosaic fertilizer plant and right before the bridge over the Alafia River. There is a stoplight at the intersection of US 41 and Riverview Drive.



Mosaic Park is on your right after the railroad tracks.